| dc.description.abstract | Low equipment availability, a high proportion of unplanned maintenance and non-compliance with preventive maintenance programmes are common problems in the maintenance of mobile mining equipment. In combination they can create a vicious circle from which exit is difficult. Analysis of the maintenance performance of a mining company that operates two gold and silver mines in the north of Chile confirmed the existence of these problems. A discrete event simulation model was developed to quantify the effect of various management initiatives aimed at remedying the situation. The model indicated that significant improvement can be achieved through initiatives designed to reduce the frequency of unplanned failures and the times necessary to repair them. Two initiatives of particular relevance are the elimination of breakdowns through root-cause failure analysis (RCFA) and the development of repair standards that detail the activities, spares, materials, tools and time needed to effect common unplanned repairs. equipment availability, a high proportion of unplanned maintenance and non-compliance with maintenance programmes are common unplanned repairs. | |
